Paneling structure



NOV. 22, 1938. L. 1 PQWELL PANELING STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 11, 1937 Patented Nov. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFCE PANE-LING STRUCTURE Illinois Application January 11, 1937, Serial No. 119,959

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a paneling structure, and more particularly to a paneling structure comprising panel members nished to present a porcelain-like surface and attachment members for securing the panel members to the desired Wall or other surface.

The present invention is adapted for use Wherever a porcelain like or equivalent nish is desired--for example, in forming store fronts, sidings for buildings, and in surfacing gasoline stations and the like. It is to be understood, however, that these uses are merely illustrative, and that the invention may be employed in all similar work as suitable or desired.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a paneling system that may be set up easily and quickly without exposed attachment means and without the use of cement or the like for holding the panels in place, a paneling system in which any desired panel may be easily removed and replaced, without removing numerous adjacent panels, in case of cracking or chipping of the porcelain-like finish, or where it is desired to remove a panel or a plurality of panels for any other reason, and a paneling system in which the entire paneling structure may be readily taken down and installed elsewhere.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide discontinuous attachment means for securing the panel members in place, and, more particularly, attachment members positioned at spaced locations along the peripheries of the panel members, and panel members having peripheral flanges provided with discontinuous or spaced depressions forming shoulders for interlocking engagement with the attachment members and adapted, by their discontinuous character and the discontinuous engagement with the attachment members, to be secured in place and removed expeditiously. The discontinuous character of the attachment of the panels also minimizes the stresses which tend to crack or chip the porcelain-like surfaces of the panel members. n

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view ci a paneling system embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the panel members;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the (Cl. 18S-85) clips or attachment members for securing the panel members in place; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l.

It is to be understood that while I have shown the panel members of rectangular form, with their longer dimensions disposed horizontally, these members may be disposed with the longer dimensions vertically or otherwise as desired. Furthermore, the panel members may be square or of any other desired conguration, and of any preferred size.

Referring now to the drawing, 5 designates a wall or any other surface which it is desired to cover with the panels of the present invention. The panels are indicated at 6, and the attachment clips for securing the panels in place are indicated at 1.

The clips or attachment members 'l are preferably formed of spring steel of suitable gauge, pressed, for example, by simple stamping dies, to generally channel-shaped section as shown in Figure 2. The base of each clip 'l is preferably bowed in slightly, as shown, to strengthen the sides 9, the upper ends of whichV are turned in at l5 for interlocking engagement with the cooperating shoulders on the panels 6. The inner ends of the inturned flanges IU are turned out at Il to facilitate entry of the shouldered portions along the anges of the panels B therebetween. The base 8 has apertures I2 through which nails, screws or the like, indicated at I4, are inserted to secure the attachment clips to the wall or other surface 5. Where the wall ii is of metal or a framework of metal, or provided with metal portions which will permit, the bases of the attachment clips 'l may be spot-welded or otherwise secured thereto, and, in such case, the nails, screws, or the like, indicated at I4, may be omitted.

The panel members 6 are preferably formed of sheet metal of suitable gauge, pressed to shape and provided with marginal flanges I5. The ilange I5 0i each panel has discontinuous depressions l6 pressed therein at spaced locations, for example by ordinary stamp and die operations. These depressions l5 form discontinuous shoulders I8 at spaced locations for interlocking engagement with the inturned flanges I9 of the clips l. vention, there is one depression I6 forming an internal attachment shoulder I8 at each of the opposite ends of the elongated panel, and two spaced depressions I6 forming spaced internal attachment shoulders I8 along one long side of In the illustrated embodiment of the inthe panel, Whereas the other long side of the panel has one depression I6 forming an internal attachment shoulder staggered with respect to the shoulders I8 along the opposite side of the panel and specifically disposed intermediate such two shoulders I8 along the opposite side of the panel.

It is to be understood that this precise arrangement of the depressions I and the attachment shoulders I8 formed thereby may vary widely with variations in the shapes and sizes of the panels. It is an important aspect of the invention, however, that these depressions and the attachment shoulders formed thereby are not continuous about the margin of the panel. This facilitates setting up the panels, and permits the entire paneling system to be readily taken down and installed elsewhere. It also makes it possible expeditiously to remove any intermediate or other panel in case of cracking or chipping of the porcelain-like or equivalent finish.

The surface of each panel 6 preferably has glass fused onto the metal, as shown at 2|, to give a porcelain-like finish. This finish may be colored as suitable or desired, and may vary within the scope of the present invention. The attachment means of this invention is particularly adapted for use with panels finished in this manner, or in equivalent manner, due to the ease with which it permits removal and replacement of the panels in case of cracking or chipping of the surface 2| and the manner in which it minimizes the stresses which otherwise might tend to crack such porcelain-like or equivalent finish.

The space between the out-turned ends II of the attachment clip flanges IEJ is preferably less than the depth of the shoulder forming depression I6, the depression I5 being sprung or snapped into place in the clips I in securing the panels to the wall.

Erection or installation is as follows:

The clips or attachment members 'I are first nailed, screwed, spot-welded, or otherwise secured to the wall or other surface 5 in position to receive the depressed and internally shouldered portions of the panel flanges. The wall may be marked off, if desired, to facilitate proper positioning of the clips 1. The panel members 6 are then applied into interlocking engagement with the clips 'I as shown in Figure fl. As thus applied, the panels are held in place on the surface of the wall 5 by the clips l, ypreferably with clearance at between the marginal flanges I5 of the panels. This clearance is not sufficient to permit removal of the panels without springing the clips i, but is sufficient to eliminate any binding engagement between the margins of the panels.

After the panels are installed, the spaces 25 between the panels are caulked with a suitable caulking material 26 for nishing purposes. This caulking material 26 may be a suitable mastic cement or any other suitable or preferred caulking material.

In removing the panels, it is necessary to spring only the depressed or shouldered portions of the flanges I5 out of engagement with the clips l. To facilitate such removal, the flanges I5 may be provided with apertures, one of which is indicated for example at 28 in Figure 3. By inserting a screwdriver or other tool between the margins of the panels and engaging the same in this aperture 28, the adjacent shouldered portions of the flanges I 5 may be conveniently sprung out of engagement with the clips 1.

I do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown or described.

I claim:

1. In a paneling system of the class described, a supporting structure, metallic panel members having outer surfaces provided with a porcelainlike or equivalent finish and four sides provided with marginal flanges, discontinuous shoulder forming depressions at spaced locations along said flanges at each of the four sides of said panel members, and a plurality of separate and individual attachment clips attached to said supporting structure at each of the four sides of said panel members and engageable by snap action with the shoulders formed by said depressions to secure each of said panel members to said supporting structure upon movement of said panel members toward the supporting structure.

2. In a paneling system of the class described, a supporting structure, metallic panel members having outer surfaces provided with a porcelainlike or equivalent finish and four sides provided with marginal flanges, discontinuous shoulder forming depressions at spaced locations along said flanges and at each of the four sides of said panel members, and a plurality of separate and individual attachment clips attached to said supporting structure at each of the four sides of said panel members and engageable by snap action with the shoulders formed by said depressions to secure each of said panel members to said supporting structure upon movement of said panel members toward the supporting structure, said flanges being provided with means disposed between certain of said shoulders for engagement by a tool to spring said shoulders out of engagement with said clips for removal of the panel members from the supporting structure.

3. In a paneling system of the class described, a supporting structure metallic panel members having outer surfaces provided with a porcelainlike or equivalent finish and four sides provided with marginal flanges, discontinuous shoulder forming depressions at spaced locations along said flanges and at each of the four sides of said panel members, and a plurality of separate and individual attachment clips attached to said supporting structure at each of the four sides of said panel members and engageable by snap action with the shoulders formed by said depression to secure each of said panel members to said supporting structure upon movement of said panel members toward the supporting structure, the spaced shoulders formed by the depressions along the flanges of said panel members being arranged in staggered relation on opposite sides of said panel members.

4. In a paneling system of the class described, a supporting structure, metallic panel members having outer surfaces provided with a porcelainlike or equivalent nish and four sides provided with marginal side flanges, discontinuous shoulder forming depressions pressed in said flanges at spaced locations and at each-of the four sides of said panel members, and a plurality of separate and individual attachment clips of channel-shaped section having bases attached to said supporting structure at each of the four sides of said panel members and sides provided with inturned flanges engageable by snap action with the shoulders formed by said depressions to secure each of said panel members to said supporting structure upon movement of said panel members toward the supporting structure.

5. In a paneling system of the class described, a supporting structure, a metallic panel member having more than two sides each provided With a marginal iiange, discontinuous shoulder forming depressions along the marginal flange at each side of said panel member, and separate and individual attachment clips attached to said supporting structure at each of the respective sides of said panel member and engageable by snap action With the shoulders formed by said depressions to secure said panel member to said supporting structure upon movement of said panel member toward the supporting structure. LAWRENCE J. POWELL. 

